Tandon was appointed as the casting director for 'Slumdog Millionaire' but was later promoted as co-director of the film due to her contribution to the script, which Boyle called ‘indispensable’.

But now, Jan Lisa Huttner of Audience Supporting Women Artists Now (ASWAN) has began a campaign for the joint nomination for Boyle and Tandon, whose name does not appear on the Academy Awards ballot paper, the Contactmusic reported.

"Women find it harder to be able to make films and have their films seen. That's why this is such an important issue," Huttner said.

Generally only one person is named at the ballot but last year Joel and Ethan had jointly accepted the honour for their film "No Country For Old Men".

However Tandon, who not only selected child actors from Mumbai slums but also convinced the director to shoot the initial parts of the film in Hindi, insisted that Boyle's nomination was fair.

"My credit is not 'Directed by'. It is 'Co-Director (India)'. I am greatly honoured by the credit I have been accorded," Tandon said.

"It would be a great injustice if the credit I have should have the effect of diminishing Danny Boyle's magnificent achievement," she added.